US Airways jet crash caused by tire blowout and nosegear collapse

A damaged US Airways jet lies at the end of a runway at Philadelphia International Airport.

A damaged US Airways jet lies at the end of a runway at Philadelphia International Airport. (Matt Slocum / Associated Press)

Matt Pearce

A US Airways jet carrying 149 passengers and five crew members crashed in Philadelphia on Thursday evening after a tire blew out during takeoff and the plane's nose gear collapsed when the pilot decided to abort the flight, officials told the Los Angeles Times.

Flight 1702 was headed to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but the Airbus 320 jet instead saw its journey conclude at the end of a Philadelphia International Airport runway, where it skidded off the tarmac with its nose to the ground.

No fire was reported. Officials said one person requested medical assistance after the jet's emergency slides deployed and the passengers exited.

Further information about the passenger's condition wasn't immediately available. Nor was it clear whether the jet ever left the ground.

The passengers might not have much time to get their breath after the scare; US Airways spokeswoman Valerie Hooks told the Los Angeles Times that the airline was putting the survivors on a replacement flight scheduled to leave later Thursday night.

Hooks said she didn't know whether any of the passengers were too rattled to take another flight right away -- though at least one passenger seemed to be enjoying levity after the ordeal, tweeting what has to be one of the world's most unusual selfies: